This invention concerns a light apparatus for vehicles, of a type having a housing, a transparent closure pane for closing the housing, at least one reflector in the housing, a light source corresponding to the reflector, a light shield placed between the light source and the closure pane and a frame-like cover peripherally encompassing the reflector.
Such a lighting apparatus for vehicles has been disclosed by EP 0 646 495 A1. A headlamp with two reflectors serves as a light apparatus for motor vehicles. Both reflectors are placed in a pot shaped housing and are commonly covered by a light-transmissive closure pane. An outer rim of the closure pane is installed on an outer rim of the pot shaped housing. A cover is placed between the reflectors and the closure pane, which peripherally encompasses, or covers, the reflectors. The cover is made of plastic and is affixed to the closure pane. In the case of a closure pane which exhibits at least some optics-free areas, the cover blocks an interior of the pot shaped housing against viewing from outside. A light source is assigned to each of the two reflectors, respectively, which is formed by an incandescent lamp. The incandescent lights are installed through respective access openings in vertex areas of the reflectors. Hood-like light shields are between the light sources and the closure pane. The light shields can serve as decorative caps and are connected to rims of the receiving openings of the reflectors by long support arms.
In this regard, it is disadvantageous, when mounting is done with poor craftsmanship, that the reflecting surfaces of the reflectors can be damaged and, because the light shields are fastened on the reflectors, effective sizes of reflection surfaces are reduced as arc yields of light from the reflectors.
A purpose of this invention is to provide a light apparatus for a vehicle of the generic type described in the opening paragraph above, in which the light shield is uncomplicated in structure and easy to install, without a danger of damaging the reflecting surface of the reflector and in which securement of the light shield does not cause a diminution of a reflecting area of the reflector.